


Whenever, Wherever

by Blue_Five



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alpha!Gibbs, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, M/M, omega!Tony
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-17 18:46:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4677371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Five/pseuds/Blue_Five
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anthony DiNozzo was engaged to be mated.  A gunshot changed that and he finds himself being rescued by a stranger with silver hair.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introductions

Morning breaks over the city and sun bleeds into a lavish hotel room. The high thread-count sheets slip down a lean, muscled torso as Anthony DiNozzo rolls over with a groan. Finding the warm body of his fiancé, Daniel Price, still beside him, he curls up against the man with a sigh.

Tony loves lazy mornings like this … not that most of his mornings aren’t lazy anyway. Waking up next to Danny, however, temporarily calms Tony’s oft-unsettled mind and he enjoys the opportunity to scent his soon-to-be mate. He stills however, when the other man growls.

“Damn it, Tony, get off me,” the alpha grumbles.

Tony shoves himself away, irritated. “Forgive the fuck outta me. I just –“

A hand grabs his wrist as Tony starts to roll himself off the bed. He’s jerked back down to stare into his alpha’s eyes. The redhead’s already dark brown eyes are nearly black and Tony knows he’s overstepped.

“Danny, I’m –“

“All fours, Tony,” his fiancé murmurs. “Apparently you’ve forgotten who the alpha in this relationship is.”

Tony swallows, eyes going wide. “Danny – I mean, alpha … _alpha!_ ”

Danny’s hand moves and a vise-like grip settles on the back of Tony’s neck. He immediately goes boneless thanks to a pressure point there found on all omegas. Tony hates it with a passion even when Danny _isn’t_ mad. It takes away his ability to fight. And while physical altercations with Danny are never a good idea, Tony hates to be restrained. The brown eyes study him and a sly grin moves across Danny’s face. Tony whimpers and finds himself handcuffed to the headboard. At first, he thinks he got off easy even considering how much he hates to be tied down. Then Danny goes to the dresser and selects two silk ties. He grins and grabs one of Tony’s ankles.

“No no no … Danny, no, please you know I hate –“ Tony jerks his leg and inadvertently catches Danny’s jaw as the alpha leans down in the wrong moment.

Tony’s pleas are silenced by a sock and one of the ties. Danny uses the remaining tie to bind Tony’s legs together. He growls, leaning in close over his omega’s naked body.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been to Baltimore … I think I’ll do some sightseeing. You enjoy your rest, Tony. Good time to reflect, right?” Danny sneers.

Moving to the window, Danny jerks the curtains closed, plunging the room into darkness. Tony sees a sliver of daylight from the other room before Danny closes the door. He screams for a long time before finally crying himself to sleep.

* * *

When light hits Tony’s face again, he groans and turns away trembling. A gentle hand removes the gag and a water bottle is pressed against his parched lips. Tony shakes while he drinks, coughing as the water soothes his dry throat. His legs are untied and his hands released from the headboard by the same man who left him in the dark for two days, helpless and alone.

“Easy … easy, Tony-bear,” Danny murmurs. “I gotcha. Danny’s here.”

Tony is very deep into his omega mind; he’s not capable of conversation. He only knows that he’s immensely grateful to smell his alpha again. Danny, of course, is all care and concern as he helps Tony stumble into the bathroom and cleans him up. He dresses him, which is difficult with DiNozzo trying to nuzzle and cling to him at every step but he manages to get him into a suit and tie. By the time they are ready, Tony is shaky, but out of his head-fog.

Tony hates how much he _needs_ Danny after one of these punishments. He hates how badly he wants to submit so his fiancé will praise him again and eventually make the lingering fear fade away. He should be furious at the alpha that left him tied up and gagged, forced to lie in his own piss for two days. After so many years with Danny, Tony knew the redhead had a temper. He knew Danny was prone to cruel punishments when Tony stepped over whatever line the alpha drew. Tony knows the man he’s going to mate but the constant reassurances that no one would want him outside of their relationship keeps him from leaving. That and his father’s equally firm assurance that he would be disowned if he did not mate soon and end his _laissez faire_ lifestyle.

Lost in his thoughts, Tony flinches when Danny reaches up to straighten his hair. The fingers tighten, pulling Tony’s head down.

“Problem, Tony?”

“N-no, alpha,” Tony replies, eyes down.

“Good. I’m thinking _Bow_ … we haven’t been there in a while,” Danny declares.

“Sound perfect, alpha,” Tony replies.

“Good boy.”

Tony bites back a moan but the shiver that races through him makes Danny chuckle. “Ah, Tony … you should know better by now. You can defy me all you want, but your body knows what it needs.”

Tony only offers a small smile of acknowledgement as he follows his alpha into the elevator and down into the lobby. While they are alone, he keeps to himself and Danny allows the sulk, thankfully. The minute they hit the lobby, however, Tony shifts into what Danny calls “Omega Prime” mode. His head comes up just enough to show the deep bruising on his neck emerging from his shirt collar to line his jaw. Ever since the engagement, Danny has ensured the marks are dark and visible. He worked them over while showering with Tony earlier that evening, ignoring the soft hisses of pain his omega gave.

Tony takes his alpha’s arm and pastes a content expression on his face as they walk through the lobby. Tony’s good looks and high-dollar suit tell the world that he has an alpha that can provide for him while the marks let everyone know that he _belongs_ to Danny. In short, he’s the picture of what a well-bred omega should be among society. They get in a shining town car and drive away, the envy of many who watch them go.

* * *

“Not hungry, Tony?” Danny asks, holding an asparagus spear at Tony’s mouth.

Tony kneels beside his alpha and nibbles on the vegetable. Danny sighs and puts his fork back on the plate. Tony clenches his hands into fists and replies softly.

“Not a big fan of salmon … which you know.”

Danny sips his wine. “Tony, you need to eat healthier. Pizza? You’re not in high school anymore. Besides, when you pup, you’ll have to –“

“I know, I know … I’ll need to eat for the pup but that won’t be for a long while, right? I mean, we can wait a year or two, right?”

Danny snorts and looks down. “I want to have a family as soon as possible, Tony. Hell, I’d have you off those suppressants and in heat _now_ if I could.”

Tony pales but then he grits his jaw. “Why should I get pregnant? You have _her_. Give up her and I’ll consider it.”

Danny’s head comes up and his eyes go cold. Tony ducks his head and the expected hand cards into his hair to grip it painfully.

“I thought we’d worked this out, Tony. I’m the alpha and _you_ do not tell _me_ what to do.”

Tony says nothing but the minute Danny’s hand is off him, he stands and stalks out of the restaurant. He stands out front, wonder which way to go when he hears an all-too-familiar growl behind him and hunches his shoulders. A whimper escapes him as he turns to see his fiancé standing beside him with eyes blazing. All of Tony’s bravado disappears and he falls to his knees pleading, “I’m sorry, alpha! Please don’t hurt –“

Tony’s begging is cut short when he hears a strange puff sound and he sees a small dark hole appear in Danny’s forehead. His fiancé crumples in front of Tony and the omega reaches out a shaking hand to the face with staring eyes.

“D-Dann-Danny?”

Something strikes and whines off the pavement near Tony and he jerks. He looks around wildly just as someone grabs him by an arm and pulls him upright. Windows shatter on the restaurant front as Tony finds himself dragged along by a stranger. Amid the screams and shouting, It suddenly occurs to him that someone is shooting at _him_. Trying to hit _him._

“They’re trying to kill me!” Tony gasps.

“Yes,” growls the man pulling him down the street. “And if you don’t get your ass in gear, they’re going to succeed!”

Tony blinks and doesn’t know what to do. His fiancé is dead and he’s being taken somewhere by a man he does not know. Someone who might be working with the man who shot Danny.  Someone who, when he takes a deep inhale, smells like an alpha.  The scent is muted somehow, but unmistakable.

“Don’t.” The man snarls, jerking Tony against him.  It's as if he realizes what the omega is thinking.

“I don’t know you –“ Tony says, struggling.

They round the corner, followed by bullets pinging off cement. The man hauls Tony down an alleyway, the omega tripping and stumbling along. The grip is bruising and Tony whines softly. The man pulls him upright and glares at him.

“Do you want to die?”

Tony shakes his head. “No!”

“Then use your fucking feet and _run_!”

Tony falls back on the one thing that has always gotten him through – his sense of self-preservation. He jerks free of the man’s hand and indicates that he lead the way. The man nods and scans the rooftops. “Keep up, DiNozzo.  Fall behind and I'll leave you where he shoots you down.”

It occurs to Tony as they run that he never told the man his name.


	2. Submission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thrilled that everyone is liking my first addition to the NCIS fandom. Here goes the next chapter ... enjoy.

Tony stays by the alpha’s side as they duck down several alleys, always staying close to the buildings and never out in the open for more than a second or two. Tony feels like he’s in one of his beloved action flicks. Only it’s much less enjoyable than he imagined, running for his very life being growled at by an alpha whose name is still a mystery. He yelps when the man pulls them behind a dumpster and shoves Tony to the ground while he crouches nearby, scanning the darkness around them. The alpha taps an earwig Tony hadn’t noticed earlier.

“McGee, tell me –“ The alpha relaxes visibly and the iron grip on Tony’s shoulder eases. “Who --?”

Tony can sense the tension leaving the alpha as the conversation continues. Tony looks around, his attention drifting now that the immediate threat seems to be gone. He squints into the dark alleyway and finds Danny’s sightless eyes glaring at him. His fiancé is dead. A bastard at the best of times, he was still Tony’s alpha. He was still the fixed point that the omega revolved around. Tony shivers and then shivers again. The night air is suddenly cooler than he remembers. He looks away from the corpse staring accusingly at him to his hands which have started to tremble. He head spins and a soft whine escapes him. His companion’s head snaps around and it’s all Tony can do not to crawl into the dumpster behind him in an attempt to escape the hard gaze.

“McGee, give me the coordinates to our nearest safe house. The package may have settled during transport.”

Tony is fighting to stay afloat as his brain replays the night’s events in an endless horrific loop. He whimpers as the alpha reaches for him and a sudden wild surge of fear washes over him as he flinches back. Then … everything slides sideways. Tony sees his body thrown over one of the alpha’s shoulders like a sack of dog food. Dark fog creeps into the edges of his vision and sounds disappear under a muffling layer of cotton. Tony watches disinterestedly as his body is carried into a building and up flights of stairs. He counts for want of anything else to do … one, two, three … three flights of disgustingly dirty stairs. He registers the faraway sound of a door opening and closing before he’s laid gently on a lumpy sofa. The alpha’s face swims into his line of sight and Tony thinks that he’s kind of good-looking in a scowling, frowning sort of way.

“Tony? Can you hear me? Answer me,” the man asks.

Tony feels the walls of his mental cave begin to widen to let in light and that’s not acceptable. He turns onto his side or tries to – the alpha is holding him in place, staring directly at him. It occurs to Tony again that the man knows his name but he has no clue who his rescuer is or if he’s just gone from the pan into the fire. These thoughts are fleeting because Tony doesn’t want to _think_ … he wants to go back to his dysfunctional but safe world with Danny. He tries to turn over again and this time the alpha lets him. Tony hears the man talking.

“…won’t snap out of it … how would you recommend I do _that_ … Ducky, I’m not … fine! I’ll be in touch.”

Tony curls into the smallest ball he can make of himself. The couch is uncomfortable and it smells musty. Tony whimpers. In the next breath he feels another body pressing against him from behind and at first his brain tries to believe it’s Danny and this entire night is a dream. The deep voice that growls against his ear, however, shatters that fantasy and Tony uncoils like a spring.

The alpha is caught off-guard by Tony’s quick movement but the omega only gets slightly upright before arms like steel bands wrap around his upper body and legs made of similar strength twist around his lower extremities. No matter how he writhes and struggles, Tony can’t break free. His whine of distress is suddenly answered by a barked command.

“Get it together, soldier!”

Tony’s omega brain sends him straight to the bottom of his submission.

* * *

The alpha, known to many as simply “Gibbs”, groans when the omega – Tony – goes silent and still in his arms. Unwrapping himself from around Tony, he watches as the younger man flips over rapidly and grips Gibbs’ jacket lapels to avoid losing physical contact with the alpha. The older man doesn’t let himself think why an alpha’s voice raised in anger can throw Tony so far down the rabbit hole. Gibbs sighs deeply and tilts the omega’s chin up to examine the hazel eyes. The pupils are blown wide and he can smell the submission on Tony’s scent. It’s sharp and bitter because it was compelled. It’s a smell Gibbs hates because it means that somewhere in Tony’s brain, he’s afraid of the alpha who saved him -- afraid and distrustful enough that he’s relying on pure survival instinct to avoid being hurt. Gibbs taps his earwig.

“Duck?”

_“Yes, Jethro? Was it successful?”_

Gibbs eyes the omega burrowing into his chest. “Not really. I might have lost my temper.”

A loud sigh fills the headset. _“I suppose the young man is lost in his submissive response now?”_

“He’s trying to become one with my jacket, if that’s what you mean,” Gibbs offers.

Another sigh. _“Well, on the brighter side, he’ll be compliant now. Get him settled and tell him to sleep, Jethro. He should emerge from his drop within an hour.”_

“He dropped awful fast, Ducky. I was angry but not _that_ angry,” Gibbs queries.

_“I have little doubt that young Tony’s rapid mental devolvement is the direct result of abuse suffered at the hands of trusted alphas – his father initially and, more recently, his fiancé. Tony most likely has been forced into compliance at the whim of others all his life – an omega’s biology makes them susceptible to overbearing and abusive alphas. In the wrong hands, that sort of power imbalance can be used in the most horrific manner to twist a person’s will. From the surveillance footage you secured for my review, it’s very probable that Tony has been conditioned since birth to obey any designation higher than his own. I would wager a sharp word from even a beta would have him on his knees.”_

Gibbs can’t smother the low growl that works its way up from his chest. Tony instantly whines and his hands move to work at Gibbs’ belt.

“Whoa! What the _hell_?!”

_“Gibbs! Gibbs, what is it?”_

Tony scrambles back onto the couch, his arms over his head, cowering. Gibbs reaches for the omega and while he doesn’t pull away, Tony shakes as though he’s going to come apart at the seams. Gibbs gently tugs Tony’s arm until the omega comes back toward him. Slowly, uneasily, Tony leans against Gibbs. When Gibbs wraps a single arm around the young man, Tony relaxes into the alpha’s torso again with a deep inhalation and sigh. Gibbs pointedly ignores the surge of protectiveness in his gut.

_“Jethro, if you do not answer me –“_

“Relax, Ducky. He’s … snuggling.”

Soft laughter. _“Then I would suggest sitting back and enjoying it, Jethro. He’s clinging to the only alpha that hasn’t deliberately harmed him … he might even emerge from his submission faster.”_

“Ducky, I don’t have time to babysit right now!”

Tony whimpers softly at the raised voice and Gibbs automatically smoothes his hand down the blonde hair with a gentle shushing sound. Tony quiets and presses harder against Gibbs but he does not reach to touch anywhere else.

_“From what I just heard, Gibbs, Tony is not the only one seeking comfort right now. Considering that he is –“_

“Ducky, he just tried to undress me,” Gibbs growls. “He’s not seeking comfort, he’s trying to have sex with me.”

An uncomfortable cough. _“I see. Jethro, I know you wished to avoid this but I fear Tony is beginning to bond.”_

“Bonding omegas don’t automatically want to have sex with alphas they don’t know, Ducky. Not outside of heat. Not even that far down in a drop.”

_“Sex is undoubtedly the only way Tony knows how to connect with an alpha, Jethro. Sex and submission. He’s already fallen into his submissive brain, so your growl set off an instinctual response to service his alpha.”_

“I’m not his alpha, Ducky _._ ”

_“His biology does not know that, Jethro. And if you reject him now you risk his mental well-being. Omegas rejected during submissive response incidents –“_

“Got it, Ducky,” Gibbs responds wearily. “Make sure McGee is tracking Ari. He’ll make an appearance now that Marta is dead.”

 _“I will do so. Gibbs … you know that Tony cannot consent_ –“

“Ducky, I’ve got it.”

The call ends and Gibbs looks down at Tony, who is simply leaning against his chest, unmoving. He sighs and tilts up the omega’s chin again.

“You hungry?”

Tony shakes his head, eyes sliding down. Gibbs grunts and pushes lightly at Tony who whines.

“Easy … I need to get comfortable so we can both get some sleep,” Gibbs grumbles.

Tony retreats to the far end of the sofa while Gibbs takes off his shoes and jacket. The alpha looks at Tony and growls, “You too, Tony. Shoes off. Jacket off.”

Tony complies quickly and silently. Gibbs puts a gun on the coffee table which he pulls close. Once he settles back with the cushions arranged, he motions again at Tony.

“Get over here.”

Tony tentatively settles in-between Gibbs’ legs, his head pillowed on the strong torso. Gibbs inhales deeply and wishes he hadn’t – Tony’s scent wafts over him, an odd but enticing mix of basil and high-quality leather. It’s the same smell he caught a whiff of the day he got close enough to grab Tony in completion of his contract. The contract he failed to complete because he knew the final outcome and no reality exists where Gibbs could survive allowing his own omega mate to die. 

“What am I going to do with you, Tony?” Gibbs asks the now-sleeping omega.

His fingers toy with the younger man’s hair. He tries not to feel the warm breath against his shirt. He tries not to feel the need to protect the trusting body relaxed against his. He tries hard not to imagine what a small boy with hazel eyes and a tow head of hair would look like held in the arms of this omega. He wonders if the boy would bear any resemblance to a little girl with a chestnut mane who loved horses held in the arms of a slender beta with red hair. He snorts at the domestic musings and decides to follow the advice he barked at Tony earlier.

“Get it together, soldier,” he whispers.

Tony stirs but falls asleep again quickly. Gibbs follows, hoping he doesn’t dream.


	3. Conversation

Tony jerks awake with a startled sound. Instinct and a fading scent make him immediately seek out the alpha, but he firmly squashes the response. Tony pushes himself upright and swings his legs off the couch. He stands up before his brain notices that his ankles are bound. With a curse, Tony crashes to the floor. Groaning, he lies on a worn braided rug in the middle of what Tony assumes is the ‘living room’ and takes in the rest of the Spartan apartment. A kitchenette with a battered table and two chairs; the couch and coffee table in the central area; a small hallway leading to what he guesses will be the bedroom and bathroom – Tony sighs. It’s not _quite_ a hovel, but he’s lived all his life in swanky hotel rooms so it definitely doesn’t top his list of favorite places to escape an assassin.

 _Assassin_ … Tony swallows and sits up. Pressing the heels of his hands to his eyes, the omega tries to erase the image of Danny staring at him with sightless eyes. The shivering stops a moment later and Tony is left with an aching _need_ that he knows will only be assuaged by an alpha. He feels the after-effects of a bad drop, the sort he’s too familiar with thanks to Danny’s need to assert his alpha position. Tony vaguely remembers running after watching Danny die, then watching the world go by over the shoulder of the alpha that saved his life. Trying to reassemble his memories, one comes through clear as a bell -- an alpha voice raised in anger, something Tony has _never_ handled well. Angry alphas generally mean pain or, even worse, indifference. Thanks to biology, being ignored can be absolute hell to the subset of the population with a deeply instinctual _need_ to be touched … something else Danny used against him whenever he wanted Tony to kowtow. Tony tries to remember past the drop but all he can recall is a strong hand slowly stroking his hair and a deep voice gently murmuring to him until he fell asleep. Despite the horror of the entire evening, Tony felt safe in that moment. Safe and … cared for? He decides to put a pin in _that_ weirdness until he has more information.

Tony sits up to regard the handcuffs around his ankles. They’re tight but standard issue cop cuffs. Sliding off his belt, Tony uses the buckle tongue to quickly pick the lock and free himself. He stands and wanders the apartment, trying to get a clue as to who his mysterious savior is but he comes up empty. The place is obviously just a hiding spot, there’s nothing personal in it and the layer of dust on everything tells Tony it doesn’t get used much. The situation is stranger every passing moment. Tony decides he needs to get back to the hotel. He can contact his father from there to try and figure out what happened to Danny and why. It feels ungrateful and that makes his stomach twist. Tony shoves the reaction aside and pulls on his shoes. He goes to the door and tries to open it but he can’t. Tony looks over the doorknob and realizes it can only be unlocked from outside; he can’t even slide the hinges loose. With a growl, he goes to the window, remembering counting three flights of stairs. After a quick check, Tony determines that none of the windows in the apartment have fire escapes but it hardly matters since he can’t get them open. Frustrated and unable to think of another course of action, Tony sits on the uncomfortable sofa and waits for the unknown alpha that rescued him to return.

* * *

Gibbs opens the apartment door slowly. His eyes dart around the room taking in the absence of Tony on the sofa and the presence of the handcuffs on the coffee table. His mouth quirks at that – his omega – _the_ omega has a few hidden skills. Gibbs cocks his head and hears water running in the bathroom. With a faint smile, he sets the grocery sacks down and heads into the bedroom with a duffel bag of clothes gathered by his team from Tony’s hotel room. He drops it on the bed just as he hears a faint sound from behind him. Gibbs spins to face Tony who stands behind him with the small bedside lamp held up. Training takes over and Gibbs easily disarms Tony, trips him back onto the bed and pins the omega with his gun pointed between the hazel eyes. To Gibbs’ continued amusement, the gaze looking at him isn’t afraid … it’s startled and then irritated.

“You know this is seriously undermining my belief that you’re on my side,” Tony grouses.

“This coming from the guy that was going to clock me with a lamp?” Gibbs retorts, letting Tony up.

Tony’s return smile and chuckle fade the minute he has his feet under him again. He goes for the gun, but his attack is sloppy and Gibbs sweeps his legs out from under him. The alpha tries not to wince when he hears Tony’s body hit the floor with a hard thud. Instead, he lets his annoyance fuel anger and pins the omega again with a low growl.

Tony knows he’s sorely outmatched with the alpha. The man could easily snap his neck and be done with it, but Tony somehow knows he won’t. In fact, he can already sense that he can use his very omega-ness against this alpha. When the man growls at him, Tony responds by arching his neck and baring his throat. He ignores the way other parts of him perk up at the sound – he’s nothing if not well-versed in the way his wiring reacts to alphas. For the moment, Tony knows he’s got the upper hand when the alpha’s growl lingers and he starts to lean into Tony, nostrils flaring.

“ _Don’t_ …” Gibbs suddenly snarls, shoving away from Tony. “Get up. Try anything else and I _will_ hogtie you.”

“Oooh, kinky,” Tony snarks, trying to ignore the confusing ache at the alpha’s rejection. “Gonna use the handcuffs?”

Gibbs’ eyes narrow and he takes a deep breath. His nose is flooded with Tony’s rich, smooth omega scent and it is everything he can do to hold himself in check. The man knows how to use his body to advantage, something that Gibbs might welcome in any other situation. Right now, however, it pisses him off almost as much as it arouses him. Clenching his jaw, Gibbs stalks into the kitchen and focuses on making them both breakfast.

He finds a sad little skillet, plates and utensils. Still reeling from Tony’s scent and his actions, Gibbs runs on auto-pilot while he works. Fortunately he could make cheese omelets in his sleep so he uses the time to calm his body and brain down. The water shuts off in the bathroom and Gibbs finally notices that Tony is standing at the table watching him.

“Something on your mind, DiNozzo?”

Tony frowns. “Ok, as much fun as all this has been, I think I deserve some answers. Firstly, how the hell do you know my name? And who the hell are _you_?”

“You can call me Gibbs. I’m the alpha that saved your backside last night,” Gibbs offers. He glances over at the omega. “As for your name, you’ve been under surveillance for a few months.”

“Surveillance? Me? By whom?”

“Certain interested parties,” Gibbs replies cryptically.

“Well how very dark and mysterious of you … why are these ‘interested parties’ after me?” Tony asks.

Gibbs stays silent for a moment, trying to decide how much he should reveal. He finishes the first omelet and plates it, putting it in front of Tony before starting his own.

“I don’t know the details,” Gibbs finally lies. “My job was to bring you in.”

“In where?”

“Not my concern,” Gibbs says flatly. “Considering who your father is, I’d start there.”

Tony frowns and pokes at his omelet. He had a distant relationship with his father to say the least – the man had never found anything right about Tony. From his designation to his appearance to his intelligence, Tony understood perfectly well that his father found him lacking. After all, his father was an alpha who ran a billion-dollar pharmaceutical company and his only child was an omega.

“I’m not exactly in the will anymore,” Tony says. “Dad wanted me to mate and get off his payroll so to speak so when I got engaged to Danny … he had me disowned.”

Gibbs snorts. “You can’t disown omega children, Tony.”

“What?” Tony asks, confused. “What do you mean you _can’t_?”

Gibbs walks over with the fresh omelet and deftly swaps out the plates. Tony reaches for his but Gibbs holds it out of range.

“Alpha, I –“ Tony starts to protest.

“Eat, Tony … while it’s warm,” Gibbs says softly. “And call me ‘Gibbs’.”

He warms the other in the microwave even though he knows it will be chewy now. Sitting across from Tony, he feels warmth stealing into his chest as he watches Tony eating food he provided. It’s annoying and distracting at a time when he should be focused on his mission, but biology will not be denied, apparently.

With a forkful of egg, Tony looks up. “So what did you mean you can’t disown omega children?”

“It’s against the law, Tony. Omegas are driven to mate but that doesn’t mean they’ll _find_ a mate. Since most omegas can’t even get decent-paying jobs due to –“

Tony waved his hand dismissively. “Since we’re prone to going into heat and all that jazz … yeah, I’m familiar. I guess I never thought to research it … stupid of me.”

“You believed your father; that doesn’t make you stupid, Tony,” Gibbs says quietly.

Tony takes another bite of the omelet. Gibbs gestures toward the coffee table.

“You picked the cuffs?”

Tony snorts. “Obviously. Linda Hamilton has nothin’ on me for picking restraint locks.”

The alpha cocks an eyebrow and Tony rolls his eyes. “Linda Hamilton … Sarah Conner? Terminator 2?”

“Never seen it,” Gibbs mutters as he goes back to eating the warmed egg.

“Never – it’s a classic! Judgment Day … ‘Hasta la vista, baby’ … ‘come with me if you want to live’?” Tony, caught up in his favorite topic, doesn’t notice Gibbs’ pursed lips. He continues spewing quotes in various accents. “Honestly, it’s one of Cameron’s first –“

“You need to break out of restraints a lot, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asks.

Tony makes a non-committal sound. Gibbs frowns.

“What was that?”

Gibbs voice is irritated which makes Tony flinch a little. Gibbs sees this and is dismayed to see the omega fall silent and push the remnants of his food around. He hates seeing the young man withdraw like this … as if he fears he’ll do something wrong.  He remembers that Ducky said Tony's childhood conditioned him to take alpha displeasure very personally.  He tries to change the subject.

“Something wrong with it, DiNozzo?”

“No, alpha. Sorry, alpha,” Tony replies flatly, finishing his plate with a look that tells Gibbs it didn’t taste all that wonderful.

“Gibbs. Call me Gibbs.”

“Sorry, al – I mean, Gibbs. It was fine. Edible,” Tony winces. He hates his mouth sometimes. “Damn it … I mean, I’m sorry, alpha, it’s fine … it’s –“

Gibbs’ chuckle confuses Tony even further.

“Edible works … my mate insisted nothing I made was fit for human consumption.”

Tony’s lips turn up. “It’s not _that_ bad.”

They finish eating and Tony goes into the bedroom to shower and change clothes. After a long spell of silence, Gibbs enters the room and sees Tony sitting on the bed with a jacket held to his nose.

“Tony?”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Tony asks. “Danny … he’s –“

Gibbs sits down beside Tony and nods. “Yes, he is. And we’re going to have to move soon … this place is secure for now but they’ll find us again.”

Tony looks up at Gibbs. “Who would want me?”

 _Who wouldn’t want you, handsome? _Gibbs thinks instantly.

Out loud he says, “Your dad’s a powerful man, Tony. You’re a good pawn.”

“Yeah, but why now? Why not years ago?”

Gibbs focuses on his response so his scent won’t betray his deceit. “I don’t know, Tony. That wasn’t part of the assignment.”

“Sorry, alpha … looks like you got a crap assignment,” Tony mutters.

Gibbs forgets himself and smacks Tony on the back of the head. The offended squawk and outraged glare eases his worry.  He meets the omega’s gaze directly.

“Rule 6: Don’t apologize. It’s a sign of weakness. Take your shower and try to get some sleep. When we have to move, it’ll happen fast.”

Tony watches the alpha leave the room, closing the door behind him. He rubs his head. He’s been smacked around plenty by other alphas -- this is the first time it ever made him feel … _good_. Biting his lip, Tony pulls a phone out of his pocket. He grabbed the alpha’s phone. Going into the bathroom and starting the shower, Tony closes the door and dials quickly. He crosses his fingers while he waits and is finally rewarded with a response.

“Dad? Dad, it’s me, Tony …are you ok?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a side note ... I'm doing a little bit of retconning because my story went in a different direction. I'll try to explain as I go.


End file.
